2016 Making Spirits Bright

Making Spirits

Bright 2016 Holiday Cookbook and Gift Guide

2 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Give Yourself the Gift of Beautiful Flooring

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November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 3

Dear Verona Shoppers This season, as you go about the annual ritual of holiday shopping please keep in mind the merchants and businesses that work so hard throughout the year to make our community worthy of the nickname “Hometown U.S.A.” These are the businesses that aid our summer brat sales, assist with local events, sponsor youth sports teams, and contribute to the fabric of the community in too many ways to list.

Please keep the merchants of Verona in mind for stocking stuffers, last minute gifts, gift certificates, and perhaps those hundreds of smaller items found just below the top lines on your holiday lists.

Remember, by shopping locally, you will not only find great gifts, you will also be helping to maintain the spirit that makes Verona an outstanding community in which to live.

Wishing You a Safe and Joyous Holiday Season

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4 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Season’s Greetings!

The holidays are upon us. The staff of Unified Newspaper Group hopes that the pages that follow will help create a happy season for you and yours. There are gift ideas, shopping tips, events and sales. The pages are full of unique places for you to shop this holiday season and beyond.

This is the 17th year of publishing a holiday cookbook. Recipes have been submitted by the readers of our newspapers, the Oregon Observer, Stoughton Courier Hub and Verona Press as well as the Great Dane Shopping News. There are terrific recipes for your holiday meals, to give as gifts and to enjoy on a daily basis. Many thanks go to those who submitted their favorites.

We offer a sincere “thank you” to the advertisers on these pages for their continued support of this annual gift guide and cookbook.

May this be the most wonderful time of the year for you.

133 Enterprise Drive • Verona, WI 53593 • 608-845-9559 125 N. Main Street • Oregon, WI 53575 • 608-835-6677 135 W. Main Street • Stoughton, WI 53589 • 608-873-6671

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November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 5

Catering takes the work out of holiday entertaining As enjoyable as the holiday season may be, quite a number of people admit to feeling pressured by the demands of shopping, wrapping and hosting events. According to a poll from the American Psychological Association, up to 70 percent of people feel stressed out by a lack of time and/or money during the holidays.

Stress can take its toll during the holidays. But stress does not have to turn this festive time of year into something less enjoyable. By removing some of the work involved in holiday planning and hosting, individuals can free up time and enjoy a more relaxing holiday season.

For example, holiday hosts may spend several weeks organizing their holiday meals, hours shopping for the ingredients and still more time preparing and cooking the food. By enlisting the services of a professional caterer, hosts can still throw festive parties with great food while letting someone else deal with the stress of meal planning.

When you decide to have your holiday party catered, keep a few factors in mind as you consider your options.

Timing

Recommendations

Something special

If you have never used a local caterer before, seek recommendations from neighbors and friends. There are many different types of caterers, and some restaurants even provide catering services. Recommendations can help hosts find the right caterer for the style of gathering they’re hoping to host and help them avoid caterers who may not be the best people to work with.

The holiday season is a busy time of year for many businesses, caterers included. The sooner the contract is negotiated, the better. Lock in the date and desired foods as soon as you decide to use a caterer. The longer you wait, the more your options dwindle, as caterers’ schedules tend to book up quickly come the holiday season. Have a second-favorite caterer at the ready in case the first one is booked solid.

Packages Some caterers will only provide the food. Others are full-service providers and will bring much of what’s needed to entertain. This can include cutlery, plates, chafing dishes, napkins, linens, condiments, and more.

Understand fully what each potential catering package includes.

It may be worth spending a little more for a package that’s all-inclusive rather than saving money on a package that requires you to do a lot of work.

Holiday hosts can personalize catered affairs by including one signature dish or drink. If drinks don’t seem like a good fit, consider creating a dipping sauce, glaze or another homemade item. This puts a personal touch on the meal with minimal effort.

6 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

The history of holiday lights Holiday celebrants employ holiday lights in various ways. Certain individuals may be content to hang lights on their Christmas trees and call their decorating complete. Others may get their holiday jollies by making sure each square inch of their home is covered in twinkling lights. Still, other people prefer the more subdued effect of lights framing one picture window of the house.

The tradition of Christmas lights stretches back to early modern Germany when people used candles to decorate Christmas trees in Christian homes.

Those candles were harbingers of what would come when electric lights replaced gas and other open flame illuminating devices that were commonplace prior to the 20th century.

Thomas Edison, the inventor of the first successful practical light bulb, also created the first strand of electric lights that would be used in holiday decorating.

By 1880, Edison had standard incandescent light bulbs well sorted out and desired a way to better advertise his invention, so he decided to make the most of the holiday season and put his light bulbs on display. According to a 2003 article in American Heritage magazine titled

“The Wizard of Your Christmas Tree,” Edison strung incandescent bulbs all around the compound of his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory. Edison constructed an eightmile underground wiring system in order to power this grand light display. Because the laboratory was situated along the railroad that passed between Manhattan and Philadelphia, thousands of people were able to see the display.

The concept of electric holiday lights took a bit of time to catch on. Edison’s friend and associate Edward Johnson was tasked with stringing together colored lights in 1882 and placing them on an evergreen tree. Johnson hand-wired 80 red, white and blue light bulbs. In 1895, President Grover Cleveland requested the White House

family Christmas tree be illuminated by multi-colored electric light bulbs.

In 1903, when General Electric began to offer pre-assembled kits of holiday lights, stringed lights were reserved for the wealthy and electrically savvy. For example, in 1903 a single string of electric lights cost $12, or around $300 today.

It would take several more years before holiday lights became a national tradition. On Christmas Eve 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the country’s celebration of Christmas by lighting the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse located south of the White House with 3,000 electric lights.

Today, illuminated strands of lights have become a large part of holiday celebrations and have even been adopted for use during various year-round events. Such lights can be a beautiful and festive addition to many celebrations.

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 7

Tips to prolong the life of your Christmas tree Christmas trees are symbols of the holiday season and the spirit of giving that the season champions. Choosing and decorating a Christmas tree is a tradition for many families, and depending on the trees they choose, families may have some work to do to keep their trees glowing all season long.

Artificial Christmas trees require little, if any, maintenance. But live Christmas trees, which some people feel are more authentic and welcoming than their artificial counterparts, require daily maintenance. In addition to supplying the tree with water at least once per day, live Christmas tree owners can take these steps to prolong the life of their trees.

the interval between being cut down and sold, trees’ vascular systems can clog and prevent the tree from getting the water it needs to survive the season. A fresh cut of the stem unclogs the system and ensures the tree will be able to consume water.

• Avoid placing the tree near heaters or drafty windows. Many people know that placing a live tree near a potentially hot heating vent poses a fire hazard. But doing so also can dry out the tree, decreasing the chances it will make it through the season. Placing the tree near drafty windows also can dry out the tree, so try to find a spot in your home with a consistent temperature.

• Water the tree often. Christmas trees need lots of water to make it through the season. You may notice the water in the tree stand disappears quickly when you first bring the tree home. That’s because freshly cut trees will consume more water than trees that were cut several weeks ago. As the season goes on and the tree’s vascular system begins to clog, you might not need to water the tree as much as you did when you first brought it home. But check the tree’s water stand twice per day when you first bring it home, refilling the stand with water whenever necessary.

A few tricks of the trade can help holiday celebrants maintain lush, awe-inspiring Christmas trees throughout the holiday season.

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• Protect the tree on the way home. Your tree might be vulnerable to damage as you transport it from the farm to your living room. Unwrapped trees placed atop vehicles can be dried out by the wind. Prevent wind damage by wrapping the tree if you plan to place it atop your vehicle. If possible, lay the tree in the bed of a pickup truck and close the cover over the bed. If you don’t have access to a pickup truck but can use a minivan or SUV to transport your tree, see if the tree fits inside your vehicle. If it doesn’t, wrap it tightly in a blanket or another form of cover, making sure the cover won’t blow off in the wind when you hit the open road.

• Have the tree cut before you take it off the lot. If you typically purchase your tree from a florist or tree lot instead of a tree farm, then remember to ask the seller to recut the stem of the tree before you take it home. Tree farm trees are freshly cut, but trees sold away from the farm might have been chopped down weeks before they are ultimately sold. During

8 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

'Tis the season to ship smart The holiday season can be hectic, and thanks to that sometimes frenetic pace, it can be easy to put things on the back burner. While it’s OK to put off some things until the holiday season has come and gone, shipping gifts to loved ones does not fall into that category. Shipping can be expensive, especially for last-minute shoppers who want to ensure their gifts arrive in time for the holidays. But the following are a handful of ways to ship smart and save both time and money.

• Ship directly to the recipient. Last-minute shoppers who are buying online can save money by shipping gifts directly to the recipient. While shipping directly to the recipient may seem less personal than sending a gift you wrapped yourself, many online retailers allow shoppers to send gift-wrapped items directly to another person. Just be sure to have the recipient’s correct address when choosing this option.

• Ship early. Waiting to ship all gifts at the same time may be more convenient, but it can prove more costly as well. If you typically finish your holiday shopping just a few days before Christmas, then waiting to ship everything will cost more money than shipping gifts as you buy them. The longer you wait to ship gifts, the more you can expect to pay if you expect those gifts to arrive on time. Shipping gifts

as you buy them, especially if you get much of your shopping done early, can save you short-term or overnight shipping fees, which can be significant.

• Comparison shop. Much like you can save money by comparison shopping for holiday gifts, you can save by comparing shipping costs as well.

Pack-and-ship companies compete for consumers’ business during the height of the holiday shipping season, so compare the costs between the various pack-and-ship companies, including the postal service, to see which offers the best deal.

• Insure the items you ship. The holiday season is the busiest time of year for the pack-and-ship industry. While the industry is often remarkably effective at delivering gifts intact and on time, items are sometimes lost or damaged. By insuring your packages, you’re ensuring you won’t be out of luck should your package be lost, damaged or stolen before it reaches its destination.

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November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 9

How to manage holiday shopping trips with tots in tow Holiday shopping has changed considerably since the dawn of the Information Age. Whereas holiday shopping once required shoppers to spend hours perusing stores at the local mall, nowadays many shoppers get the bulk of their shopping done online.

Shopping online may be convenient, but more traditional holiday shopping still affords shoppers the chance to find great deals, especially at the last minute. Parents may prefer to leave the kids at home when holiday shop-

ping, but sometimes they don’t have a choice. Fortunately, there are ways to manage holiday shopping trips with kids in tow.

• Let kids do their own shopping. In addition to creating lists, let kids do their own shopping, including paying for gifts they purchase for loved ones. Kids might be more interested when holiday shopping if they’re allowed to peruse stores for potential gifts and then purchase gifts with their own money.

• Break up shopping excursions with a meal. Kids enjoy dining out, even if their preferences lean more toward chicken fingers than steak au poivre. By breaking up shopping excursions with meals out on the town, parents can give kids something to look forward to at the onset of the shopping day.

Such a break also gives everyone, moms and dads included, a chance to get off their feet and catch their breath.

When the meal is over, promise kids a trip to get some ice cream or hot chocolate at the end of the day so they once again have something to look forward to.

• Schedule some fun time. While parents pressed for time might not have much time to do anything but shop, kids are likely to grow impatient if the day does not include at least one fun distraction. Look for malls or shopping centers that feature fun things for kids to do, such as carousel rides or visits with Santa Claus. While this might require parents to spend more time at the mall or shopping center than they initially hoped, it can help keep kids engaged while giving them something fun to do at the same time.

• Encourage kids to create shopping lists. Keeping kids engaged on holiday shopping trips can be difficult, especially when shopping at stores that tend to draw crowds and long lines. But parents can engage youngParents who must take their kids along on holiday sters by encouraging them to create their own holiday shopping excursions can take steps to make such trips shopping lists for family members and then helping them fun for all involved. find those gifts at the mall or wherever they plan to do their holiday shopping. Let kids bring their lists along and check off gifts as they purchase them.

10 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Appetizers/Beverages Christmas Cheese Ball

Caramelized Onion and Bacon Tart

Joan Marie Dorgan

Joseph Gustafson

2½ cups half and half or milk 2 - 8 oz. Pkgs. cream cheese 1 - 8½ oz. can crushed pineapple drained very well 2 cups chopped pecans ¼ cup finely chopped green pepper ½ Tbsp. grated onions Dash of salt

1 pkg. puff pastry, thawed 4 onions, Vidalia, preferably, peeled and sliced 10 slices bacon, diced or sliced, Applewood smoked, thick cut 6 Tbsp. butter Salt and pepper to taste 12 oz. Boursin cheese, an herbed cream cheese 1 egg, beaten Mix all ingredients, using 1 cup chopped nuts. Make two cheesed balls. All-purpose flour as needed Roll in remaining cup of nuts and parsley Preheat oven to 400°. Peel and slice onions. Heat sauté pan over medium heat. Add 4 Tbsp. butter and onions; cook for about 10-15 Chile Quiche minutes, stirring occasionally, letting them become a rich golden brown Joan Dorgan and soft. Season with salt and pepper; let cool. In separate pan, cook ½ cup butter diced bacon over medium heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Drain 1 - 8 oz. can diced green chilies grease and keep cooked bacon room temperature until needed. Spread ½ cup flour out a little flour on table. Layout and unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Cut 1 tsp. baking powder into 3 long pieces. Repeat with rest of puff pastry. Place onto a buttered 10 eggs or non-stick sprayed cookie sheet. Take fork and pierce a row down 1 pt. large curd cottage cheese the center of each strip. Spread a generous amount of the caramelized 1 lb. grated Monterey Jack cheese onions down this row, leaving about ¼ inch on each side. When this 1 tsp. salt bakes, the dough will puff up on sides. Brush the sides of the exposed Melt butter in a 10 x 15 inch pan (jellyroll pan) When melted pour puff pastry with the beaten egg. Top the onions with small dollops of excess into cup. Do not scrape it out of pan. Beat eggs or use equivalent Boursin cheese or desired cheese. Sprinkle with cooked bacon. Bake in egg beaters, add flour, baking powder and salt., add melted butter chilies oven 10-12 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and somewhat crisp. and cheese, mix. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Turn down to 350° and Cut into 1 inch wide pieces and serve hot. bake 40 minutes longer. Cut is small pieces.

Serve for parties. They are good hot or cold and can be eaten finger style

Baked Onion Rings Mary Lou Kollath

Cut 2 lg. sweet onions into ½ inch slices-separate into rings In a shallow dish, combine: 1½ cups crushed cornflakes 2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. paprika ¼ tsp. garlic salt and seasoned salt

7-Layer Tex-Mex Dip Sandy Jerrett

1 lb. ground beef, browned 1 Tbsp. lime juice ½ tsp. salt & pepper 3 tomatoes, chopped 1 cup shredded lettuce ½ cup sour cream 1 cup grated cheese 2 small onions, chopped Tortilla chips

Dip onion rings into 2 eggs, then coat with cornflake mixture. Arrange In bowl, combine browned hamburger, lime juice, salt & pepper. Spread rings in single layer on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375°for 20-25 on serving platter. Layer on sour cream, leaving an inch of beef visible. minutes or until tender. Makes 8 servings. Only 98 calories for 5 rings. Add layers of cheese, tomatoes, onions and lettuce. Refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips.

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks Lucille McKee

1 lb. mozzarella cheese ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs Vegetable oil for frying

Layered Taco Dip Rosalie R. May

16 oz. can refried beans 4 oz. can diced green chilies 12 oz. jar thick & chunky salsa 1 cup sour cream 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese ½ cup sliced black olives Cut mozzarella into 18 - 3½ x ½ sticks. Combine flour, salt and pepper. Tortilla chips Dip cheese sticks into eggs, dredge in flour mixture and dip again in Spread beans on platter. Sprinkle chilies over beans. Pour salsa on egg. Roll in bread crumbs. Press firmly so crumbs adhere. Place on wax chilies and spread over entire area. Top with sour cream and spread to paper, and chill. 30 minutes. cover. Top with Cheddar cheese and garnish with black olives. Serve Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into a large heavy skillet. Heat to 350°. Fry with chips. cheese sticks until golden, drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 11

Hamburger Dip

Eye-Opening Spicy Bloody Mary’s

Marcia McCullick

Barbara Finke

1 jar Cheez Whiz® 1 jar salsa 2 lbs. hamburger, fried & cut up

1 - 46 oz. can tomato tuice 3 Tbsp. lime juice 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce® Mix and put in crockpot. Stir it all up and warm it up. Serve with tortilla 1 Tbsp. horseradish 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce chips. ½ tsp. celery seed ¾ tsp. salt Cherry Bounce ½ tsp. black pepper Joan Dorgan ¾ to 1 cup vodka 1 qt. cherries with pits in 6 celery sticks 1 cup of sugar 6 pickle spears ½ cup water 6 lemon wedges 1 qt. vodka or 1 qt. brandy Make when fresh cherries are available. Put ingredients in gallon glass Mix first nine ingredients together in a large pitcher. Mix well. Pour into jar/bottle. Put cap/cover on and place in a dark place until Christmas. glasses of ice. Add pickle and lemon. Serve. Yields 6.

Serve in a small cordial glass

Candy Cane Cocoa

Cappuccino Coffee Mix

Lucille McKee

4 cups milk 1 ⁄3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 4 mini candy canes, crushed 1 cup whipping cream 4 mini candy canes

Peggy Hallmark

1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer, I use flavored 1 cup instant chocolate drink mix ¾ cup instant coffee granules ½ cup white sugar ½ tsp. cinnamon Mix well all together. Place 2 Tbsp. in ¾ cup of hot water

Heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in chocolate and crushed candy canes until melted. Pour into 4 mugs, top with whipping cream and garnish with a candy cane.

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12 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Breads/Breakfast Baked Apple French Toast

Western Egg Breakfast Pizza

Mary Lou Kollath

Barbara Finke

Arrange 10 slices of French bread in greased 9 x 13 pan, spread with 21 Preheat oven 425°. Serves 8 oz. can of apple pie filling. Top with 10 more slices of bread.

1 - 10 oz. pkg. shredded hash brown potatoes ½ tsp. salt Mix together; ¼ tsp. black pepper 8 eggs, slightly beaten 6 eggs 2 cups 2% milk ½ cup ham, diced 2 tsp. vanilla ¼ cup diced onions 1 ⁄3 tsp. cinnamon and nutmeg ¼ cup diced red peppers Pour over bread, cover & refrigerate overnight. Remove 30 minutes 1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese before baking.

Sriracha (hot sauce) for drizzling (optional) Mix together: 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup cold butter, cubed. Mix until Combine potatoes, salt, butter and pepper. Mix well. Place into 10 or it resembles coarse crumbs, add 1 cup pecans & 2 Tbsp. corn syrup. 12-inch greased pizza pan. Press down. Bake 30 minutes.

Sprinkle over top & bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

While it’s baking, scramble eggs. Remove crust from oven.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Barbara Finke

1 stick plus 2 Tbsp. butter, divided ¾ cup light brown sugar 1 Tbsp. cinnamon 4 oz. cream cheese, softened ¾ cup powdered sugar 1½ tsp. vanilla 2 cups pancake or baking mix 1 cup milk 2 eggs

Spoon eggs over potatoes. Evenly sprinkle ham, onions and peppers on top. Bake 15 min.

Take out of oven and sprinkle Swiss Cheese on top. Bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Drizzle with Sriracha if desired.

On The Go Breakfast In A Mug Barbara Finke

2 eggs beaten 1 Tbsp. water 2 tsp. bacon bits In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt one stick of butter; add brown 2 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese sugar and cinnamon, mix well. Spoon mixture into quart size plastic Microwaveable! bag, set aside.

Coat a 12 oz. mug with cooking spray. Add eggs, water, bacon bits and In a small sauce pan melt 2 Tbsp. butter, slowly add cream cheese, and 1 Tbsp. cheese. Microwave 20-30 seconds, or until egg sets. Sprinkle stir until creamy. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and ½ tsp. with rest of cheese and microwave 20-30 seconds, or until egg sets. vanilla, mix till smooth and set aside.

Sprinkle with rest of cheese and microwave 20-30 seconds more. Serve In a large bowl, whisk pancake mix, milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. immediately.

Get griddle hot, coat with spray. Pour ¼ cup batter in pan. Cut tip off Zucchini Muffins plastic bag and put cinnamon mixture in swirls cook 1-2 minutes and Lucille McKee flip. Cook till done and put on warm plate. Make rest of pancake and stack. Heat cream cheese icing and drizzle top. Serve. Looks like a big Combine: 3 eggs cinnamon roll. Makes 8.

1 cup vegetable oil Cranberry Muffins 1 tsp. vanilla Lucille McKee 1¾ cup sugar 1¼ cups sugar 2 cups grated zucchini ¼ cup butter or margarine Sift together: 2 eggs 3 cups flour ½ cup milk ¼ tsp. baking powder 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. salt 2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped Combine ingredients together. Mix slightly. Add nuts and raisins to In a bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, taste. beat after each addition. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add alternately with milk to creamed sugar mixture. Stir in Bake in greased muffin tin 350° for about 20-25 minutes. Check centers cranberries, add nuts also if you would want. Mix slightly. Spoon into with toothpicks for doneness. muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Bake 25-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 13

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14 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

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November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 15

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16 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

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How shopping locally can help you and your community

Keeps money in the local economy Locally-owned businesses often put a larger share of their revenue back into their communities. Small business owners may be more inclined to employ local residents, giving more people in the community solid employment.

Business owners may reach out and support other neighborhood efforts, such as fundraising initiatives for charities and schools. By shopping at local stores, you have a hand in supporting these efforts as well.

Save money When factoring in travel time and the cost of fuel, shopping locally can make good economic sense. In addition,

repeat customers who establish a rapport with a local business owner may find that such owners are more inclined to price match or work with loyal customers to find lower prices through suppliers.

Diversify your home and lifestyle Shoppers who prefer more unique

her home with the same furnishings as a person in Wisconsin. But local shops tend to produce more unique items that are not available nationwide.

Promote entrepreneurship Small businesses are an essential element to the country’s economic growth. By shopping locally, consumers are showing their support for this important segment of our economy.

Help establish local pride Independent shops contribute to the fabric of a community and what makes it special and unique. Tourists and other visitors will be much more inclined to remember a local shop rather than a big chain in a particular neighborhood. When travelers want to get a feel for a community, they seek out local stores that are much more likely to stock locally-sourced goods.

styles may find local businesses cater to their needs better than large chain stores. Larger retailers offer the same products to customers regardless of where those customers live, so a person in California may be decorating his or

Attract other businesses Private and public sector businesses tend to gravitate around anchor stores.

Should a local store be successful, banks, restaurants, salons, and other businesses may move in as well.

Shopping locally benefits consumers in various ways, many of which contribute to a healthy local economy.

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Today’s consumers have more shopping options at their disposal than they did in years past. Though the Internet may put the world at one’s fingertips, more and more shoppers are discovering that buying locally makes for a superior shopping experience.

The benefits associated with shopping locally are many, and the following are just a few reasons why shoppers may want to look no further than their own communities when planning their next shopping excursions.

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 17

Rise & Shine Smoothies

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Rolls

Barbara Finke

Sandra Kabele

1 cup fresh strawberries, cleaned 1 banana, peeled 1 ripe mango, peeled & pitted ¼ cup orange juice ½ cup vanilla yogurt 2 Tbsp. honey 1 cup ice cubes

1-1½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ cups whole wheat flour ¼ oz. pkg. active dry yeast ½ cup raisins 1 cup boiling water 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil ½ tsp. salt Place all ingredients in a blender; blend until all is smooth. Pour into 1 egg 3 Tbsp. honey glass and serve.

Approx. ¼ cup butter ¼ cup chopped nuts Pumpkin Bran Muffins 2 Tbsp. wheat germ Cathy Skaife 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 cup whole wheat flour ¾ cup wheat bran You may use your bread machine on dough setting and combine the ¾ cup sugar first 8 ingredients according to your machine’s directions. Or, in a 1½ tsp. cinnamon large bowl. combine 1 cup all-purpose flour and yeast. Soak raisins in 1 tsp. baking powder 1 cup of boiling water for 5 minutes; drain, reserving ⅔ cup of liquid; 1 tsp. baking soda set raisins aside. Stir oil, honey and salt into reserved liquid; cool to ½ tsp. salt 115°-120°. Beat honey mixture into flour mixture; add egg. Beat at low 1 cup canned pure pumpkin speed until combined. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in whole wheat 2 eggs flour and raisins. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, ⅔ cup buttermilk cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour). Punch dough down and ¼ cup oil let rest 10 minutes. Divide into 2 pieces. Roll out dough. Spread with butter. Sprinkle on nuts, wheat germ and cinnamon. Roll up, slice and Orange Cream: place in greased 9x13 inch pan. Double in size. Bake at 350° for 20 ½ cup sour cream minutes. Turn out on wire rack to cool.

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar 2 tsp. grated orange zest Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin pans with muffin liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, wheat bran, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, buttermilk and oil. Fold pumpkin mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Fill liners ⅔ full. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Serve muffins with orange cream.

Toffee Muffins Sandy Jerrett

3 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda ⅔ cup packed brown sugar 1 Tbsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 2 eggs 8 oz. pkg. toffee baking bits 1 cup milk 1 cup sour cream 6 Tbsp. butter, melted 2 tsp. vanilla

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust Sandra Kabele

1 pkg. (2¼ tsp.) dry yeast 1½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar 3½ cups whole wheat flour (approx.)

1¼ cups warm water (105°-115°) 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil All ingredients may be placed in a bread machine and set on dough selection Or, combine yeast, salt, sugar and 2 cups flour. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in water and oil. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl. Add enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Knead for about 10 minutes. Place in large greased bowl and cover with clear wrap and towel. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Makes two 12 inch pizzas.

Delicious Banana Nut Bread Marcia McCullick

¾ cup butter or margarine 1½ cups sugar 1½ cups mashed bananas (4-6) Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups. Mix all dry ingredients. Add 2 eggs milk, sour cream, butter, egg and vanilla. Mix all ingredients. Spoon 1 tsp. vanilla into muffin cups. Bake 16-18 minutes or until done. Cool. Serve warm 2 cups all-purpose flour or cold.

1 tsp. baking soda ½ cup buttermilk or sour milk Garlic Rye Toast ½ cup broken walnuts, if desired Rosalie R. May ½ tsp. vinegar ¼ cup margarine, softened Cream butter and sugar; gradually cream well. Blend in bananas, eggs Garlic powder and vanilla. Sift flour and soda. Alternate with buttermilk (sour milk 24 slices party rye bread with ½ tsp. vinegar) or sour milk, blending just until well combined.

Spread margarine on the bread and then sprinkle with the garlic powder. Fold in walnuts, if desired. pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° Arrange slices on a baking sheet and bake in oven at 400° for 10 minutes for 1 hour. or until crisp. Yield: 24.

18 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Salads/Soups/Sides Five Minute Hula Hula Coleslaw

Cobb Salad

Barbara Finke

Barbara Finke

1 - 16 oz. bag coleslaw mix 1¼ cup mayonnaise 1 - 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained 1 - 16 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained ½ cup coconut 1 Tbsp. sugar. ¼ tsp. salt & pepper

1 medium head of lettuce, cut into pieces 1 cup chopped cooked chicken 3 oz. Bacon Bites 1 lg. chopped tomato 1 avocado, peeled and chopped 3 hardboiled eggs, chopped 4 green onions, chopped.

Mix all together and chill covered. Right before serving, stir well to 4 oz. blue cheese, broke apart. ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese mix all flavors.

Mix all together and top with 1000 Island or Ranch Dressing.

Home-style Coleslaw Mary Lou Kollath

8 cups finely chopped cabbage ½ cup shredded carrots Dressing: ⅓ cup reduced fat mayonnaise ⅓ cup fat-free sour cream 1 Tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. cider vinegar ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Mary Lou Kollath

Sauté medium chopped onion in 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Set aside.

Using a wire whisk, combine: 4 Tbsp. melted butter & ¼ cup flour in large pot over medium heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes.

Slowly add: 2 cups half and half, continue stirring. Add 2 cups chicken broth, whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add 8 oz. broccoli, coarsely chopped, 1 cup shredded carrots, onion and In large bowl, combine all ingredients, toss to coat and refrigerate at cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20 minutes. Add least 6-8 hours. Makes about 7 servings. salt & pepper to taste. By now the soup should be thickened. Pour in batches into a blender and puree. Return the puree to the pot and place CP Salad over low heat. Add 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, blend well and Rosalie R. May add ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg.

10 oz. pkg. frozen peas, thawed 8 oz. pkg. imitation crab meat, flaked TGI Friday’s Broccoli Cheese Soup 6-8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled Mary Lou Kollath ½ cup mayonnaise Combine: ¼ tsp. onion powder 4 cups water In a bowl, combine peas, crab and bacon. Combine mayonnaise and 2 cups potato, peeled & diced onion powder; fold into crab mixture. Cover and refrigerate until 2 chicken bouillon cubes serving.

1 cup diced onion 2 - 10 oz. pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli or 1 bunch fresh broccoli, chopped

Berry Cheesecake Salad Kimberly Pope

8 oz. cream cheese, softened ½ cup sugar 8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed 6 cups berries, I use: 3 cups strawberries, sliced, 1 cup blackberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup raspberries

In a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender Add: 2 - 10.75 oz. cans cream of chicken soup 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

Stir until the cheese is melted and smooth. Simmer for 15 minutes, and In a bowl beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold the soup should thicken. in the cool whip. Fold in berries. Enjoy!

Fruit Dip

Hot Beer Mustard Sandy Jerrett

½ cup dry mustard ½ cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. vinegar ¼ tsp. salt 1-2 Tbsp. stale beer

Lucille McKee

8 oz. cream cheese 3 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. vanilla ¾ cup brown sugar ¾ cup powdered sugar

Mix the first 4 ingredients and stir in stale beer to make a paste. Very Mix. Use any fruit. Yummy good with cheese & crackers or on a burger.

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 19

Chili Soup Ellen Bratz

1 lb. ground round browned and drained (pepper and salt and 1 small chopped onion in meat) 1 lg. can V-8 juice® 1 - 28 oz. canned kidney beans, drained 2 Tbsp. cumin 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 - 14½ oz. can stewed tomatoes

Mom’s Soup Dumplings Joseph Gustafson

1 stick (4 oz.) butter 1 cup water or milk 1 tsp. salt 1 cup flour 4 eggs 2 tsp. parsley, chopped (optional)

In heavy bottom saucepot, bring to a boil butter, water (or milk) and salt.

Stir in flour until it pulls away from the pan, about 1 minute. Remove Put all above ingredients in a large cooking kettle. Slowly cook for from the heat. Stir in one egg at a time (and parsley at this time) and several hours. Can serve with side dishes of chopped onions, spaghetti, beat until smooth with a heavy (or wooden) spoon. This will look a little grated cheese, oyster crackers. Even better the second time served. sloppy at first, but mixes in smooth. Once all eggs are incorporated, the batter is ready to cook in broth. Bring soup to a slow boil. Drop batter Chicken Noodle Soup by using two spoons and scooping about 1 tsp. into soup at a time.

Peggy Hallmark Dumplings will expand. They will float to the top. Let simmer for about 5-7 minutes. If too many are in soup, scoop out into bowl, reserve and 1 gallon of water (use a large kitchen kettle or soup kettle) continue making more, add back in when all dumplings are cooked.

Add: They are sure to disappear. Serve soup and enjoy.

1 bay leaf 1 medium onion, chopped Mediterranean Marinade 3-4 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut in cube size pieces Barbara Finke ⅓ cup stalk celery, chopped ½ cup Olive Oil 1 lb. carrots, sliced 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 4 Tbsp. chicken soup base 1 Tbsp. oregano 1 Tbsp. rosemary Rub together between fingers to get full flavor of each spice: 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. ½ tsp. thyme, ¼ tsp basil, ½ tsp. marjoram Salt and pepper to taste Add pepper to your own taste. ½ cup uncooked brown rice Whisk together and pour over chicken or fish. Or pour into plastic bag, Cook until vegetables are crisp. Add 1 - 9 oz. pkg. of noodles and break drop meat in and turn for 2 hours. Bake into small pieces before adding. Cook 25 minutes or until noodles are done.

Wisconsin Cheese Soup Barbara Finke

1 cup carrot slices 2 cups broccoli florets 1 cup water 1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules or 1 cube ¼ cup chopped onions 4 Tbsp. butter ¼ tsp. black pepper 2 cups milk 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Holiday Gelatin Mary Kollah

1 small pkg. each of: Sugar-free lemon Jello® Sugar-free strawberry Jello® and chrery Jello® Dissolve all in 1¾ cups boiling water.

Drain: 1 can - 20 oz. unsweetened crushed pineapple reserving juice in a in a 2 cup measuring cup; add enough cold water to measure 2 cups.

Stir into gelatin mixture.

Place the pineapple, cranberry sauce and 1 medium orange that has been peeled and sectioned in a food processor-pulse until blended. Stir into In a saucepan, combine carrots, broccoli, water and bouillon, bring to gelatin mixture. Transfer to an 8 cup size bowl and refrigerate until firm. a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook 5 minutes. Set aside. In a large In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup reduced fat whipped topping and ¾ saucepan, sauté onions in butter. Blend in flour and pepper, cook till cup fat free sour cream. Top with this mixture when serving. Makes 12 smooth. Stir in milk; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. servings.

Remove from heat. Blend in cheese. Add vegetables, heat. Serve

7-Can Soup Phyllis Berning

1 can diced tomatoes 1 can kidney beans 1 can black beans 1 can pinto beans 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies 1 can fiesta corn 1 can chili Salt & pepper 2 cups shredded Velveeta cheese Stir together tomatoes, beans, corn and chili. Add salt & pepper. Boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add Velveeta cheese. Let melt, then enjoy.

Oven Roasted Potatoes Lucille McKee

2 lbs. red potatoes, sliced in half Small envelope onion soup mix Place potatoes in a large bowl or resealable bag. Add oil and soup mix. Toss or shake until potatoes are completely covered. Transfer to a greased 12 x 13 baking pan (cut side down). Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, stirring often. Uncover, bake 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

20 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Main Dishes Cheeseburger Casserole Ellen Bratz

1½ lb. ground beef 2 onions sliced thin 1 can cheddar cheese soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 lg. pkg. frozen French fries

Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Mary Lou Kollath

Filling: ⅓ cup butter-melt in saucepan

Stir in: ⅓ cup flour 1 garlic clove, minced Line bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan with ground beef. Season with salt ½ tsp. salt and pepper. Place onions over hamburger. Mix the soups together and ¼ tsp. pepper spread over the meat. Place frozen French fries over top and bake at 1½ cups water 350° for 1½ hours. ⅔ cup milk 2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules German Mush 2 cups cubed cooked chicken Ellen Bratz 1 cup frozen vegetables 2½ cups half and half milk Pastry: Dash of salt 1⅔ cups flour 2½ cups flour 2 tsp. celery seed 2 eggs 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed 1 tsp. baking powder ⅓ cup cold butter Pour mixture into a hot 350° electric skillet with ½ stick melted butter.

Don’t let mixture stick after set. Keep breaking up and turning into In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in ingredients through pepper. Gradually small pieces. Can add other ½ stick butter or more. Figure 30 minutes stir in water, milk and bouillon. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. for doneness. Serve with hot maple syrup. Served by Great, Great Remove from heat and stir in chicken and vegetables. Set aside.

Grandmother at restaurant in Kansas Pastry:

Pork Chops and Spanish Rice Jill Shaffer

4 bone in pork chops 2 Tbsp. oil Medium onion ½ cup chopped green pepper 1 small can tomato sauce 1 cams of water 1 cup long cooking rice

Combine flour and celery seed. Cut in cream cheese and butter until crumbly. Work mix by hand until dough forms a ball. On floured surface, roll ⅔ of dough into 12-inch square and transfer to 8-inch square baking pan.

Pour filling into crust. Roll remaining dough into 9-inch square and place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges cut slits in pastry. Bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or till filling is bubbly. Yield 6 Servings.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Peggy Hallmark Brown pork chops in oil. Remove from pan. Cook onion and green pepper in drippings. Add tomato sauce and water to onion and green 4 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces pepper. Stir in rice. Lay pork chops on top. Cook 45 minutes until pork Place in slow cooker chops are tender and rice is done.

Add ¼ tsp. pepper & paprika

Cheese Chili Potato Tot Bake Barbara Finke

1 - 32 oz. pkg. tator tots 2 - 15 oz. cans chili, (or make your own) ¼ cup red onions, chopped 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Bake at 425°.

Cream 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1 can water, 1 can of chicken broth, stir well. Pour over chicken in crock pot. Cook on high for 6 hours. Before serving, cut 2 cans Pillsbury biscuits into small pieces, add to chicken and cook until done.

Stuff Pasta Shell Bake Sue Fitzgibbon

1 bag (14 oz.) frozen broccoli and red peppers ¾ cup pasta sauce 1 pkg. frozen stuffed shells 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Place Tator Tots in pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crispy. Heat chili, take out pan and spoon hot chili over potatoes. Sprinkle onions and cheese on top. Bake 5-10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Bake 5-10 more minutes, or until Coat 9 x 9 x 2 baking dish with spray. Rinse broccoli with cold water to cheese is melted. separate. Pat dry. Spread ¼ cup sauce over bottom of dish; add broccoli mixture. Top with shells. Cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes at 450°. Uncover, top with ½ cup sauce and cheese.

Bake uncovered 15 more minutes

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 21

Turkey Muffin Tin Meat Loaves Barbara Finke

Slow Cooker Lasagna Lucille McKee

Yields 12. Bake 350° 2 lbs. ground Turkey (or chicken) ½ cup chopped onions 1 cup crushed butter crackers ½ cup milk 1 egg 1 tsp. garlic powder 1½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper ½ cup ketchup ¼ cup brown sugar

1 lb. ground beef 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 1 - 28 oz. jar chunky garden style spaghetti sauce. ⅓ cup water 8 lasagna noodles, uncooked 1 - 4½ oz. jar mushrooms, undrained 1 - 15 oz. container ricotta cheese 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except ketchup and brown sugar. Mix well. Evenly divide the mixture into the 12 cups. In a small bowl mix ketchup and brown sugar. Spoon mixture over each meat ball. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until center is no longer pink. Let sit 5 minutes and serve.

Place 4 uncooked noodles on a lightly greased 6 qt. slow cooker. Layer with half each of beef mixture, spaghetti sauce mixture and mushrooms.

Barbecued Chicken Phyllis Berning

Chicken Poultry seasoning ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. ground pepper ⅓ cup barbecue sauce ¼ cup ketchup 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp. prepared mustard

Cook beef and Italian seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Combine spaghetti sauce and water in a small bowl.

Spread ricotta cheese over mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining noodles, meat sauce mixture, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on high setting 1 hr., reduce heat and on low setting, 5 hrs.

Chicken Breast Supreme Mary Miller

8 boneless chicken breasts Dried beef 1 lb. bacon 1 cup sour cream 1 can of cream of mushroom soup Paprika to taste

Cover bottom of long baking dish with one layer of dried beef. Wrap bacon around chicken breasts and place on beef. Bake 1½ hour at 350°.

Place chicken in baking dish meaty side up. Sprinkle with poultry Mix sour cream, paprika and soup together. Pour over chicken and bake, seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Mix rest of uncovered for 2-3 hours at 275°. ingredients and brush on chicken. Bake 45 minutes or until tender.

BLT Pizza Lisa Ellis

1¾-2¼ cups all purpose flour 1 envelope yeast (¼ oz. pkg.)

1½ tsp. sugar ¾ tsp. salt ⅔ cup very warm water 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil Toppings: 1 cup pizza sauce 4 strips bacon (fried, drained & crumbled) 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese ½ cup salad dressing 1 handful shredded lettuce 1 diced tomato Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

Add water and oil. Mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour until soft dough ball is formed. Dough will be slightly sticky. Knead dough on floured surface, adding additional flour if needed, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. With floured hands, pat dough out to fill greased pizza pan or stone. Set in warm place to rise for about 1½ hour. Dough rises faster on a warm stone.

Preheat oven to 425°. Spread pizza sauce on crust. Top with bacon and 1 cup cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Take out of oven. Spread salad dressing around top. Top with lettuce, tomato and remaining cheese.

Slice and serve.

Crockpot Beef Stew Kimberly Pope

10.75 oz. can cream of mushroom soup 10.75 oz. can cheddar cheese soup 1.25 oz. pkg. beef with onion soup mix 3 lbs. beef stew meat 1 lb. potatoes, cut halved 1 bag baby carrots Pour the cream of mushroom soup, cheese soup and onion soup mix into a slow cooker; mix well. Add beef, potatoes, and carrots. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Main Dish Reuben’s Rosalie R. May

8 oz. can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls 3 slices Swiss or mozzarella cheese 12 oz. can corned beef, chopped 16 oz. can (2 cups) sauerkraut, well drained 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 Tbsp. instant minced onion or ¼ cup chopped onion 1 tsp. parsley flakes ¼ tsp. salt ¾ cup milk Heat oven to 425°. Separate crescent dough and place in 13 x 9 inch pan.

Press over bottom and up sides, sealing perforations. Arrange cheese slices over dough. Spoon corned beef and sauerkraut over cheese.

Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over sauerkraut. Bake 25-35 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.

22 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Crockpot Beef Fajitas

Overnight Casserole

Mary Kay Abing

Phyllis Berning

2 lbs. boneless steak, cut in strips 1 Tbsp. garlic powder 1½ tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. seasoned salt ½ tsp. chili powder 1 cup beef broth 1 green pepper, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped 6-8 flour tortillas Salsa Shredded lettuce Onion, chopped Shredded Mexican cheese Guacamole Tomatoes, chopped Jalapeño peppers, optional

2 cups cooked ham or chicken 2 cups uncooked macaroni 1 can cream of celery soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 2½ soup cans milk ¼ lb. grated yellow cheese Mix all together. Let stand overnight. Season to taste. Bake 1 hour & 15 minutes at 325°.

Spinach and Potato Casserole Elaine Stoffregen

4 medium size round red potatoes, thinly sliced Vegetable cooking spray ⅓ cup sliced onion 2 - 10 oz. pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 cup shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese Mix steak, garlic powder, cumin, seasoned salt, chili powder, beef 1 cup skim milk broth, peppers and onion and cook low for 4-6 hours in crockpot. Serve 1 Tbsp. margarine, melted in tortillas with salsa, lettuce, onion, cheese, guacamole, tomatoes and ¼ tsp. salt ½ tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning peppers.

Paprika

New Orleans Wine Sauced Chicken Joseph Gustafson

Four 6 oz. chicken breast fillets, about ½ inch thick 8 Tbsp. flour ¾ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 4 Tbsp. butter ½ cup onion, sliced thin ½ cup celery, sliced thin ¾ cup carrots, sliced thin 1 cup white wine 2 cups chicken broth ½ cup sour cream 4 Tbsp. parsley, chopped, for garnish

Place potatoes in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top potato with onion and spinach and sprinkle cheese over spinach. Combine flour and milk in a small bowl, stirring well with a wire whisk. Add margarine, salt and lemon-pepper seasoning and pour over potato mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 350°. for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more or until potato is tender. Yield: Six 1¼ cup servings.

The BEST Chicken Zucchini Casserole Mary Kay Abing

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Mix flour, salt, pepper and paprika together. Dredge chicken in flour mixture; reserve leftover mixture.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in pan and brown chicken breasts on both sides; set aside. Melt remaining butter and sauté vegetables until tender. Stir in remaining flour mixture; add wine and chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Adjust seasonings. Add chicken and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

Once chicken is cooked, remove and stir in sour cream. Cook until heated through. Serve hot and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

1 pkg. stuffing mix 1 cup butter, melted 3 cups zucchini, diced 1 medium carrot, shredded ½ cup onion, diced 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed ½ cup sour cream 10¾ oz. can cream of chicken soup, undiluted In a large bowl, combine stuffing and butter; mix. Add zucchini, carrot, onion, chicken, sour cream and soup. Transfer to a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350°. for 40-45 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

Desserts Jewish Coffee Cake Jill Shaffer

1 box Duncan Hines Yellow Cake® (without pudding) 1 lg. instant vanilla pudding ½ cup oil, 1 cup water, 4 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla Mix together for 2 minutes. Pour into greased Bundt pan.

Butterscotch Drops Ellen Bratz

1 - 6 oz. package butterscotch morsels 1 cup dry roasted peanuts 1 cup shoestring potato sticks broken into pieces

Melt morsels in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in peanuts and potato Mix ½ cup sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Mix in ½ cup nuts. Pour over sticks batter. Swirl with spatula. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Drop mixture by teaspoonful onto wax paper, and cool completely, about 20 minutes. Makes 2½ dozen

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 23

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Down East Blueberry Buckle

Ellen Bratz

Mary Lou Kollath

2 sticks of salted butter (softened) 1 cup chunky peanut butter 2 cups powdered sugar 12 oz. box vanilla wafer (crumbs) 12 oz. bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°

In large bowl, whisk: 2 cups flour ¾ cup sugar 2⅓ tsp. baking powder Grease 13 x 9 pan. With a hand mixer beat butter, peanut butter till ¼ tsp. salt smooth. Beat in sugar 1 cup at a time. Add wafers and mini chocolate In another bowl, whisk: chips to mixture. Spread in pan.

1 large egg Frosting ¼ cup 2% milk 2 cups chocolate chips ¼ cup melted butter ½ cup creamy peanut butter Until blended. Add to flour mixture, stir just until moistened, fold in 2 ½ cup chopped peanuts cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw-it will discolor the batter).

Melt chips and peanut butter. Cool. Pour over base. Spread and sprinkle Transfer to greased 9-inch square pan. with peanuts. Refrigerate 1 hour and cut For topping, in small bowl, mix: ⅓ cup sugar Oatmeal Raisin Cookies ⅓ cup flour Mary Lou Kollath ⅓ tsp. cinnamon 2 cups soft butter ¼ cup softened butter 2 cups brown sugar Use a fork to mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake 30-35 1 cup white sugar minutes. Do not over bake! Cool in the pan or enjoy warm.

2 eggs ½ cup water Eleanor Erb’s Apple Kuchen 2 tsp. vanilla Mary Lou Kollath 6 cups quick cooking oatmeal 2½ cups flour Mix Well: 2 tsp. salt ½ cup butter 2 tsp. cinnamon ½ cup sugar 1 tsp. baking soda-stir in the rest: 2 eggs 2½ cups raisins Add: 2 cups chocolate chips 1 cup and 2 Tbsp. flour 1½ cups chopped walnuts ½ tsp. baking powder 1 cup coconut ½ tsp. salt Bake at 350° 8-10 minutes (approx.) Makes about 12 dozen cookies. ½ tsp. vanilla

Date Pinwheel Cookies

Spread in 9 x 13 pan. Slice 4 cups apples on top of dough.

Mary Lou Kollath

For topping, mix: Stir together 1 - 10 oz. pkg. chopped dates, ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup water ½ cup flour and ⅛ tsp. salt in saucepan; bring mix to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 3-5 ¼ tsp. cinnamon 1 cup sugar minutes. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle over the apple slices and bake at 350° for about 25 minutes.

Stir in: 1 cup chopped walnuts-set aside Best if served warm!

Beat: ½ cup sugar Halloween Dirt Cake ½ cup butter, softened Barbara Finke ½ cup brown sugar-till light and fluffy.

1 - 20 oz. pkg. Oreo® cookies ¼ cup butter Add: 1 - 8 oz. cream cheese 1 large egg 1 cup powdered sugar ½ tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. vanilla ¼ tsp. baking soda 4 - 3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix 2 cups flour, add to the butter mix and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

6 cups milk Then turn dough out onto lightly floured wax paper and roll into an 18 x 1 - 12 oz. Cool Whip® 12 rectangle. Spread date mixture over dough, leaving a ½ inch border. 20 Gummy Worms® Roll up dough, jelly roll fashion, beginning at 1 long side. Wrap in wax Crush cookies. Combine butter, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Mix on paper and chill 1 Hour. low speed until smooth. Add Pudding mix and milk. Blend well. Fold Cut roll into ¼ inch thick slices and place on lightly greased baking in Cool Whip®. Pour into 9 x 13 pan. Layer, cookies, pudding mix, sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes. Cool 2-3 minutes on baking etc. Leaving cookies on top. Place worms hanging out and into layers.

Refrigerate to set good. sheets before removing to racks to cool.

24 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Chocolate Crunch Brownies

Honey Bun Cake

Mary Lou Kollath

Peggy Hallmark

Mix: 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar

Cooking time 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 325° 1 yellow cake mix 2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup brown sugar ¾ cup oil 1 Tbsp. cinnamon 4 Tbsp. milk 4 eggs 8 oz. sour cream 1 Tbsp. vanilla

Then add: 4 eggs Stir in: 6 Tbsp. cocoa 1 cup flour 2 tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. salt

Spread into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, sour cream by had about 50 strokes. Pat ½ batter in greased 9 x 13 pan. Combine brown sugar & cinnamon. Spread spread with: 1 - 7 oz. jar marshmallow crème over cooled brownies over entire cake. Spread the rest of batter on top of this. Use knife to In small saucepan, melt over low heat, stirring constantly: make swirls in cake.

1 cup creamy peanut butter Bake at 325° for 40 minutes. Blend powdered sugar, milk and vanilla 2 cups chocolate chips and spread on warm cake.

Remove from heat, stir in: 3 cups Rice Krispies® Surprise Potato Chip Cookies Spread over marshmallow layer. Chill before cutting. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen

Martha Stewart Pecan Pie Mary Lou Kollath

4 cups pecan halves, set aside Mix: 4 lg. eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup light corn syrup ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract ½ tsp. salt Use only 2½ cups pecans, coarsely chopped. Set aside 1¼ cups whole halves Mix other ingredients together until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans and pour mix into prepared unbaked pie shell, spreading evenly. Arrange reserved pecan halves on top, in circles until surface is completely covered. Bake 350° until filling is just set and crust is golden brown, about 90 minutes. If the nuts are getting too dark, tent the pie loosely with foil. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store at room temperature.

Rhubarb Crumble Pie Mary Lou Kollath

6 cups of rhubarb, cut into ¾ inch pieces 1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. cornstarch Pinch of salt

Barbara Finke

Bake at 350° 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 3½ cup flour 1 cup plain crushed potato chips 1 cup finely chopped nuts.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Mix in flour, potato chips, and nuts. Mix well. Drop by tsp. on to cookie sheets.

Bake 10-15 minutes, or to desired crispness.

Peach Crisp Lucille McKee

Crust: 1 cup flour ½ cup brown sugar-packed ¼ tsp. salt ½ cup cold butter or margarine Filling: 2 cans 15-16 oz. each sliced peaches 1 cup sugar ¼ cup cornstarch Topping: 1½ cups rolled oats ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup flour 5 Tbsp. cold butter or margarine

Put into unbaked pie shell, toss rhubarb well with other ingredients first In a bowl combine flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pat into a greased 9 in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for Crumble Topping: 15 minutes. ¾ cup flour ⅓ cup light brown sugar 3 Tbsp. white sugar Pinch of salt 6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Drain peaches, reserving juice in a small saucepan. Add sugar and cornstarch to the peach juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in peaches.

Pour over crust.

Mix all well, then put on top of Rhubarb. Bake at 375° until pie is done, Combine the topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. about 1 hour or more. Cool before serving.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping golden brown. Spoon into bowls, serve warm. 6-8 servings

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 25

Ice Box Cookies Lucille McKee

2 cups brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup butter or lard, make sure to level it 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1 tsp. baking soda into ¼ cup hot water, pour over dates.

1 cup dates - chopped fine 1 cup nuts 3 or 4 cups of flour

Anita’s Rolo® Pretzel Delights Sue Fitzgibbon

1 bag small pretzels Pecan halves 1 bag Rolo Chewy Caramels® Heat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place one pretzel for each Rolo® desired on prepared sheet. Top each pretzel with one Rolo®. Bake 3-5 minutes or until caramel begins to soften, but not melted.

Remove from oven. Top with either Pecan half or whatever you like.

Cool completely.

Mix brown sugar, eggs and butter. Cream. Add dry ingredients. Add Blueberry Dessert dates and nuts. Make into small long rolls. Chill or leave overnight.

Barbara Finke Slice ⅛ -¼ in. thick. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 6-8 minutes until Crust: edges are golden.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs ½ cup Butter, melted Devils’ Food Cake ½ cup Butter, melted Carol Hoeritz ½ cup Brown Sugar ½ cup Crisco 1¼ cups sugar Mix all 3 ingredients together. Pack into 9 x 13 baking dish.

2 eggs Filling: 1 tsp. vanilla 1 - 8oz. cream cheese, softened ½ cup cocoa, add boiling water to make a past ½ cup white sugar 2 cups flour 2 eggs 1 tsp. salt 1 can Blueberry Pie filling 1 tsp. baking soda Cream Crisco® and sugar, add eggs & vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and Mix the cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add eggs, one at a time and add alternately with cocoa mixture. Use 13 x 9 pan. Cook at 350° about beat. Pour mixture over crust evenly.

30-35 minutes.

Bake 375° for 20 minutes. Spread pie filling over top. Bake 15 more minutes. Cool and add whipped cream when you serve.

Brownies Carol Hoeritz

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate ⅔ cup butter 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1¼ cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder Pinch of salt

Low-Fat Raspberry Summer Sensation Kris Fry

1 pint raspberry sorbet or sherbet 1 cup cold fat free milk 1 pkg. (4 serving size) vanilla fat free sugar free instant pudding and pie filling 8 oz. Cool Whip Free whipped topping 1 cup red raspberries

Line 9 x 5 Loaf pan with foil. Spoon sorbet into pan. Spread and freeze Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, sifted 10 minutes. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with flour, and salt. Mix well. Pour into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 a wire whisk for 2 minutes until well blended. Gently stir in whipped minutes. topping. Spread pudding mixture over frozen sorbet in pan. Freeze 3 hours or overnight. To unmold, invert pan onto plate. Remove foil. Top Apricot Bars with raspberries just before serving. Let stand 10-15 minutes to soften.

Sue Fitzgibbon Cut into 12 slices. ¾ cup butter Chocolate Snowballs 1 cup sugar 1 egg Eva Jeanette Zee 2 cups flour ¾ cup butter, softened ¼ tsp. baking powder ½ cup sugar 1⅓ cup shredded coconut 1 egg ½ cup chopped walnuts 2 tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 - 12 oz. jar apricot jam or your favorite jam 1 cup chopped pecans Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips flour and baking powder. Gradually add to butter, sugar mixture. Add Confectioner’s sugar coconut, walnuts and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Press ⅔ dough into In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar & salt until light & fluffy. Beat in greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread with jam. Crumble remaining dough over egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in pecans and chocolate jam. Bake at 350°for 30-35 minutes or golden brown. Cool. Cut into chips. Shape dough into balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased squares. baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until brown. Roll cookies in confectioner‘s sugar.

26 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

Coconut Date Balls

Diamond Bars

Sandra Kabele

1½ cups chopped dates ⅓ cup butter 2 Tbsp. fat-free egg substitute (or 1 egg) 1 Tbsp. skim milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. salt 2 cups crisp rice cereal (like Rice Krispies) ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (or as needed) Combine dates and butter in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and dates are softened. Lightly beat egg, if using; add milk, vanilla and salt. stir into date mixture and heat about 2 minutes or until egg is cooked. Remove from heat and stir in Krispies. Using a tablespoon, shape mixture into walnut size balls and roll in coconut.

Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Crockpot Candy (Version 1)

Eva Jeanette Zee

1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 cup brown sugar 2 egg yolks 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup flaked coconut Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add egg yolks; beat well. Stir in flour; mix well. Spread into a greased 15 x 10 inch baking pan. Bake at 325°. for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Return to oven until chips are melted, 1 minute. Spread chocolate with an icing knife. Sprinkle with walnuts and coconut. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into diamond shapes. Makes 5 dozen.

Mom’s Rhubarb Pie Judy Andrews

1½ cups sugar 16 oz. dry roasted salted peanuts ¼ tsp. nutmeg 16 oz. dry roasted unsalted peanuts 3 Tbsp. flour 12 oz. German sweet chocolate bar 1 Tbsp. butter 12 oz. milk chocolate morsels 3 well beaten eggs 1½ blocks white almond bark (36 oz.)

3 cups cut-up rhubarb Layer the ingredients in crockpot in the exact order beginning with Milk peanuts and ending with white almond bark. Cook on low 2 hours. DO ½ cup sugar NOT STIR. It will look like nothing is melted so don’t worry. After 2 Blend together 1½ cups sugar, flour and butter. Beat eggs well. Add to hours, stir and drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper. Note: I use the sugar, flour, butter mixture and beat well. Place bottom crust in 10 inch mini cupcake papers and tins. pie pan. Add rhubarb. Pour egg mixture over the rhubarb. Put top crust on and cut 4 small air holes in crust for ventilation while baking. Bake at Crockpot Candy (Version 2) 425°. for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°. Cover edge of crust and bake Joan P. Carey for 30 minutes. I put a thin layer of milk on the top crust and sprinkle 2 lbs. salted dry roasted peanuts sugar all over the top of the crust. This helps the crust brown better.

4 oz. sweet chocolate (4 squares) Oatmeal Snickerdoodles 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips 2½ lbs. white almond bark Annibelle Aide Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4 quart crockpot. Layer the sweet 1 cup butter chocolate and chocolate chips over the peanuts and then the almond ¾ cup brown sugar bark (break into pieces to fit). DO NOT STIR. Will be very full. Put lid ¾ cup sugar on and cook 3 hours on low. Do not overcook. Get 2 cookie sheets and 2 eggs, well beaten line them with mini cupcake liners (or use mini cupcake pans). After 2 cups flour 3 hours, stir the mixture with wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the ½ tsp. salt candy into cupcake liner using a small scoop or tablespoon. Allow to 1 tsp. soda cool completely. Store in refrigerator. The peanuts roasting in crockpot 1 tsp. cinnamon makes them irresistible. Note: Try adding other ingredients before 1½ cups quick oatmeal Joan P. Carey

dropping the candy into cupcake liners. I added some caramel topping Cream butter; add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix to the last batch I made. well. Add dry ingredients; mix well. Stir in oats. Form into 1 inch balls.

Roll in cinnamon and sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 400°. for Angelic Strawberry Dessert 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake.

Mary Lou Edge

3½ oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding 1 cup milk 8 oz. sour cream 1 tsp. grated orange peel 1 large container whipped topping or Cool Whip 1 angel food cake 2 pints strawberries

Treasure Puffs Bonnie Bichl

1 container crescent rolls 1 large 3 Musketeers bar 1 Tbsp. melted butter

Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles. Cut candy bar into 8 pieces.

Wrap crescent rolls around candy bar pieces. Roll each one in melted Cut angel food cake into small cubes. Clean and slice strawberries in butter and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake according to half. Mix pudding, sour cream and milk until thick. Fold in Cool Whip. directions on crescent roll package.

In 9 x 13 inch cake pan, layer cake, ⅓ of strawberries and ½ of pudding.

Repeat cake and pudding and then top with strawberries. Chill 2 hours.

November 10, 2016 • Making Spirits Bright • Unified Newspaper Group • 27

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28 • Unified Newspaper Group • Making Spirits Bright • November 10, 2016

JACK DANIELS FUDGE (Perfect for the Holidays!)

5 cups sugar (2 lbs.)

2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup whole milk 11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla 25 large marshmallows, ripped in half

11.5 oz. Ghiradelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips 1 2 ⁄2 cups powdered sugar 3 ⁄4 cup Jack Daniels or a whiskey you really like. Yo u will be able to really taste it!

Whisk whiskey with confectioner’s sugar and set aside.

Foil and butter a 9x13 inch (or larger) baking pan.

Put sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a large pot with a heavy bottom. Stirring steadily until mixture boils. Continue stiring while letting it boil for 3 minutes (time it, this is important). Remove from heat.

Add the marshmallows and chocolate, stirring until all of it is melted and blended into the sugar mix.

Give whiskey mixture a quick stir and add it to the pot, stirring until fully incorporated.

Pour into greased pan and chill. Let mellow for a day. Adults only recipe.

210 S. Main Street Verona, WI 845-6478 adno=492379-01